Interested in blogging for timesofindia.com? We will be happy to have you on board as a blogger, if you have the knack for writing. Just drop in a mail at toiblogs@timesinternet.in with a brief bio and we will get in touch with you.

The missing half: Rajasthan and Telangana see few women in poll fray, their concerns also get short shrift

As Rajasthan and Telangana head to polls today, the shockingly low number of women candidates shows that most political parties only pay lip service to women’s issues. In both states, less than 10% of the contestants are women. This, despite the fact that around 50% of the Rajasthan electorate are women. In Telangana women voters outnumber men in several constituencies. Of course political parties have promised everything from better women’s safety and healthcare to monetary support for marriage of girls. But their commitment to gender justice stops far short of giving tickets to women candidates.

The dichotomy exposes where political parties stand on women’s empowerment today. While women are increasingly seen as a vote bank, this doesn’t translate into genuine political representation. The few women politicians who do make it to the highest tier of politics are often from well-known political families. Being proxies for male relatives or not having grown from the grassroots may explain why these women politicians fail to solve women’s problems when they are in power.

In western Rajasthan it is water that is a central concern for women, many of whom express disappointment at how the woman CM has addressed their woes. Four consecutive years of drought have been particularly hard for the women of the region given their role in fetching water. Many parts of Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Udaipur districts are severely drought hit. Yet, say critics, the administration hasn’t attended to the plight of women who are having to trudge longer distances or shell out more household monies to buy water. Piped water supply hasn’t been suitably expanded. Western Rajasthan sends 53 legislators to the state assembly. If 50% of the candidates here were women, their struggles would have been better reflected in these polls.

In fact, women’s struggles with water cut across states, including Telangana, where as in Rajasthan groundwater has depleted worryingly. This has serious implications for the food security, livelihoods and economic growth of all Indians. But women are doubly burdened because of the traditional division of labour. If they enjoyed more political space, women’s issues like this would get greater attention. Promises by male politicians simply aren’t enough. We need to hear women’s voices in politics. Women don’t need handouts; they need equal opportunities. And breaking patriarchy’s hold over politics is crucial.

This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.